1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printing method and system which simplify ordering digital prints and improves efficiency of printing without lowering print quality. The present invention relates also to a film scanner for use in the printing system.
2. Background Arts
In the present photo-printing system, photographer or user is required to go to a retail D.P.E. (Develop, Print & Enlarge) agent in order to have the exposed photo film developed and printed at a photo-finisher. Thereafter, the user has to go to the retail D.P.E. agent again on or after a designated delivery date to receive the finished prints and developed photo film. Accordingly, the user has to go to the D.P.E. agent twice at every print order.
If the user does not wish to print all picture frames on the filmstrip, but wishes to check and designate some picture frames to print with reference to the developed filmstrip, the user must go to the D.P.E. agent more than twice. However, printing qualified picture frames only is economically preferable.
Meanwhile, digital printing is getting popular these days, as personal computers, digital cameras, image scanners and other high-tech digital imaging devices are getting widely used. Digital prints are made by processing image data on the personal computer and printing out hard copies through a personal-use printer of ink jet type or thermal type. The personal-use printer is not able to provide high print quality in comparison with professional printers. In addition, since the price of the personal-use printer is not so reasonable, the conventional digital print system turns out to be costly for most users.